The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-06-23
THE REBEL FLAGS.
The President Withdraws His Instructions as to
the Return OF the Confederate Banners-II0w
the MatterOrigiuated, etc.

The President NithdraWS HIS lnSfruct1OnS as TO
the Return OF the Confederate Banners-How
the MatterOriginated, etc.
The following is the text OF letter from
the President, received by the secretary OF
war late respecting the return to various
states of flags captured during the late
war:
Executive Mansion, Washington, d. c..
June 16.-To the Secretary OF War: 1
have to day considered with more care
than when the subject was orally presented
to me, the action OF your depart
ment directing letters to be addressed to
the governors OF all the states Offering to
return, if desired, to the loyal states, the
Union flags captured in the war OF the re-
bellion by the confederate forces, and aft
erwards recovered by the government
troops, and to the confederate states the
flags captured by the union forces, all OF
which for many years have been packed in
boxes and slowed in the cellar and attic OF
the war department.. / am OF the opinion
that the return OF these flags in the man.
ner thus contemplated is not authorized
by existing law nor justified as an execu-
tive act.
request, therefore, that no further steps
be taken in the matter except to examine
and inventory OF these flags and adopt
proper measures for their preservation.
Any direction for the final disposition
OF them should originate with congress.
Yours truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
An intimate friend OF the executive this
evening, said that the president sanctioned
the retnrn OF flags without giving the
subject serious consideration end
upon representations that the matter
not in any way was governed by law.
The president understanding was, that
flags had been, from time to time, return
ed when applied for and that no new i'm.
portant question was involved immediate.
ly upon examination OF the law, however,
and learning that there was large num-
ber OF confederate flags involved and that
none Of them had ever been returned, the
president Immediately decided his approx
al OF the plan and had been inconsiderate
and mistaken.
BEFORE THE LETTER
Washington Dispatch: Proceedings were
instituted in the district supreme court on
the 10th, against the secretary OF war, as
the representative OF the president, to pre-
vent the return of the confederate battle
flags captured by the troops OF the state
OF Ohio. Gen. H. V. Boynton, correspond
ent of the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,
made the necessary affidavits, and Gov.
ton with the attorneys, who are
Messrs. Shellabarger, OF Shellabarger q
Wilson. and ex-Goy. Boutwell,. Early
action will be taken by the court. The
affair has set the ex-soldier element on fire,
and violent Language is being used against
the administration.
A special to the Evening Wisconsin from
Madison, Wis, says: Gov. Rusk is great
ly aroused by the determination Of the
administration to return oil flags now In
the possession OF the federal government to
the states from which the came. To-day
he sent the following letter to Adjt- Gen.
r. G. Drum at Washington:
"Sir-I have the honor to acknowledge